Brachychiton populneus is native to eastern Australia, from southern inland Queensland and the western slopes of New South Wales, through to eastern Victoria (Australian Native Plants Society (2024)
The Kurrajong tree or Brachychiton populneus is an impressive evergreen tree. It’s known for having simple water needs and being drought tolerant, loving the full sun but needing well-draining soil for optimum health.
These trees are upright in shape when they are young and then become more rounded when they mature. The glossy green leaves of the Kurrajong tree shimmer when it’s windy in the same way that poplar trees do. Brachychiton populneus produces flowers generously and these are followed by big bunches of wooden seed pods.
An evergreen tree to 20 metres with a dense rounded crown, with a broad-canopy spread.
It is a common sight in NSW inland areas, occurring throughout virtually all of the western slopes and plains as well as tableland areas. It is also found in the coastal hinterland. It grows as far west as Ivanhoe. It extends into Queensland, growing as far as Cairns-region. It grows over much of the eastern half of Victoria and into the north-west. Records in South Australia may be from planted specimens.
It is often found in dry sclerophyll woodland and forest, especially on creeklines but also further upslope and colonises roadsides and open areas.